Daniel Klein grew up in Efrat — an Israeli settlement a few miles from Bethlehem — inside a religious Zionist world that told him Palestinians didn't exist. This episode traces how that worldview collapsed: the structural violence of Israel's settlement enterprise, the erasure of the Nakba from Jewish consciousness, how Christian Zionism has functioned as financial and theological cover for the occupation, and what it cost Klein personally to leave it all behind — including his journey from rabbinic Judaism and the IDF to faith in Jesus Christ.

Daniel Klein is an Israeli-American, former IDF veteran, and West Bank settler-turned-Christian who now speaks publicly on the lived realities of Israeli settlement policy and the theological distortions of Christian Zionism.

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Welcome to the Fares Abraham Podcast. Explore untold faith stories from the Middle East and conversations that challenge the narratives you thought you knew. Hosted by Dr. Fares Abraham, this podcast offers a gospel-centered perspective on culture, theology, and current events in the Levant Region.

Stay Connected with Pastor Fares Abraham:

⁠⁠⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠linktree/faresabraham⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

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Fares Abraham sits down with Edwin Keshish-Abnous — an Iranian-American Christian born in pre-revolution Tehran — for a conversation on the explosive growth of the church in Iran, how theology and geopolitics shape each other in dangerous ways, and what faithful Christian witness looks like when both their homelands are in active conflict. They discuss the cost of discipleship under an Islamic regime, the shift from 500 Muslim-background believers to the fastest-growing evangelical church in the world, and what happens when scripture is used to justify modern warfare — including the recent use of Psalm 18 at a Pentagon worship service to frame the Iran conflict as a holy war.

Edwin Keshish-Abnous is the Executive Director of Heart4Iran and Director of Programming at Mohabat TV, the first 24-hour Farsi Christian satellite channel. He is an adjunct professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and the author of two theological works in Farsi on the Lord's Prayer and the Trinity.

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Welcome to the Fares Abraham Podcast. Explore untold faith stories from the Middle East and conversations that challenge the narratives you thought you knew. Hosted by Dr. Fares Abraham, this podcast offers a gospel-centered perspective on culture, theology, and current events in the Levant Region.

Stay Connected with Pastor Fares Abraham:

⁠⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠linktree/faresabraham⁠⁠⁠

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helpful Links:

Heart4Iran

Mohabat TVGAMAAN Survey: "Iranians' Attitudes Toward Religion" (2020)

Nabil Habiby joins The Fares Abraham Podcast to discuss the challenges facing Christians in Lebanon and across the Middle East, including war, migration, and the long-term future of the church in the region.

Nabil Habiby is a Lebanese theologian, youth pastor, and lecturer in New Testament. He serves as Dean of Students at the Nazarene School in Beirut, teaches at the Arab Nazarene Bible College, and is an adjunct lecturer at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also a doctoral student at Nazarene Theological College in Manchester, where his research explores impurity and demonic spirits in the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Judaism.

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Welcome to the Fares Abraham Podcast. Explore untold faith stories from the Middle East and conversations that challenge the narratives you thought you knew. Hosted by Dr. Fares Abraham, this podcast offers a gospel-centered perspective on culture, theology, and current events in the Levant Region.

Stay Connected with Pastor Fares Abraham:

⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠linktree/faresabraham⁠⁠

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helpful Links:

“Reshaping the Ultimate Other: Levantine Conversion from Extremist Islam” (Academic Study Referenced in the Conversation)

Urbana25 hosted a panel on Palestine and Israel, giving students a space to talk about what their response to the conflict should look like today. It was a profound honor to stand on the stage, not alone, but alongside my brother Aaron Abramson from Jews for Jesus. In a world demanding we pick sides, we gathered to talk about a third way: the way of Jesus.My prayer is that this conversation helps you see Israelis and Palestinians not as extensions of a conflict, but as human beings made in God's image. As I shared on stage: God is not pro-Israel or pro-Palestine; God is pro-peace.

Welcome to the Fares Abraham Podcast. Explore untold faith stories from the Middle East and conversations that challenge the narratives you thought you knew. Hosted by Dr. Fares Abraham, this podcast offers a gospel-centered perspective on culture, theology, and current events in the Levant Region.

Stay Connected with Pastor Fares Abraham:

faresabraham.com | linktree/faresabraham

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helpful Links:

Jews for Jesus | Urbana Conference

Dr. Anne Zaki joins The Fares Abraham Podcast to discuss the indigenous church of the Middle East and why Christianity’s place of origin matters for how the global Church understands Scripture today.

Anne Zaki is Professor of Preaching and Practical Theology at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo and holds a PhD in preaching from Fuller Theological Seminary. She has served the Egyptian evangelical church for decades and returned to Egypt during the 2011 uprising to continue her teaching and ministry.

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Welcome to the Fares Abraham Podcast. Explore untold faith stories from the Middle East and conversations that challenge the narratives you thought you knew. Hosted by Dr. Fares Abraham, this podcast offers a gospel-centered perspective on culture, theology, and current events in the Levant Region.

Stay Connected with Pastor Fares Abraham:

⁠faresabraham.com⁠ | ⁠linktree/faresabraham⁠

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helpful Links:

• “Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes” by Kenneth E. Bailey
• Anne Zaki’s Message on Unity at the Fourth Lausanne Congress⁠
• The Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo

Brian Heerwagen joins The Fares Abraham Podcast to discuss mission in the Middle East, gospel-centered partnership, and why mission is not reserved for a spiritual elite.Brian Heerwagen is CEO of MissionWorks and has spent decades equipping churches, leaders, and mission organizations for effective service. He has served in missions leadership since the 1980s and has helped shape training and standards for short-term mission through his work with MissionWorks and the Standards of Excellence network.

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Welcome to the Fares Abraham Podcast. Explore untold faith stories from the Middle East and conversations that challenge the narratives you thought you knew. Hosted by Dr. Fares Abraham, this podcast offers a gospel-centered perspective on culture, theology, and current events in the Levant Region.

Stay Connected with Pastor Fares Abraham:

⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠linktree/faresabraham⁠⁠

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helpful Links:

• MissionWorks (referenced in the conversation)
• ⁠Mission Connection Conference — Palestinian & Israeli on One Stage (referenced in the conversation)

Pastor Edward Awabdeh joins The Fares Abraham Podcast to discuss the state of the church in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024 and what it means to lead a congregation in Damascus through violence, fear, and instability.

Edward Awabdeh is pastor of the Alliance Church of Damascus and president of the Christian and Missionary Alliance churches in Syria and Lebanon. He comes from a multi-generational family of pastors and has served the church through decades of political upheaval, including the Syrian war and its ongoing aftermath.

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Welcome to the Fares Abraham Podcast. Explore untold faith stories from the Middle East and conversations that challenge the narratives you thought you knew. Hosted by Dr. Fares Abraham, this podcast offers a gospel-centered perspective on culture, theology, and current events in the Levant Region.

Stay Connected with Pastor Fares Abraham:

⁠⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠linktree/faresabraham⁠⁠⁠

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Learn more about the church in Syria and its context:

• Recent coverage of the Mar Elias Church bombing in Damascus

• Global Christian Relief: How churches in Syria are mourning

• Syria Lebanon Partnership Network: How churches worldwide are standing with Syrian believers

As a Palestinian-American originally from the West Bank, Fares Abraham speaks with firsthand experience of the suffering, displacement, and cruelty that mark daily life for many in the land of Jesus. In this message from the Church at the Crossroads conference (September 11–13, 2025, Glen Ellyn, Illinois), he challenges the global Church to consider how the credibility of the gospel in Palestine and Israel depends on its witness of peace, reconciliation, and costly discipleship. His story is not abstract theology—it is a testimony rooted in lived reality, calling Christians to embody the cross in the face of conflict.The Church at the Crossroads brought together pastors, theologians, and practitioners to wrestle with how followers of Jesus can respond faithfully to the crisis in Israel and Palestine. Rather than retreating into silence or partisan slogans, the conference pressed into repentance, reconciliation, and solidarity with all who bear the image of God.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠faresabraham.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn how you can get involved and become a partner in this important mission. Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive updates from the region and powerful stories of transformation and changed lives.

Follow Pastor Fares Abraham on Social Media:

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Helpful Resources:

• Church at the Crossroads Conference (CATX)
• A Collective Call to the Global Church from Middle East Evangelical Leaders

• CATX Resources